The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) says it has nailed the killer of National Land Commission (NLC) official Jennifer Wambua.
DCI said forensic analysis has placed the prime suspect in the murder case Peter Mwangi Njenga alias Ole Sankale at the scene of the crime.
Detectives said Njenga, who is a convicted rapist and violent robber, was last seen with Wambua when she was alive on March 12.
“The forensic results are finally out, positively matching the suspect. Following detailed forensic and intelligence-led investigations, detectives established that the suspect had indeed interacted and spent quite some time with the deceased at the location where the body was later discovered,” said DCI.
Njenga was arrested last month by homicide detectives from his house in Embulbul in Ngong, Kajiado County.
He allegedly trailed Wambua to Ngong Forest where she had gone to pray.
“It was established that the area is often visited by pilgrims for spiritual intentions. Detectives further established that the suspect preyed on the deceased as she prayed before he made his move to sexually assault her and strangle her to death,” said the DCI.
Authorities say Njenga “indeed interacted and spent quite some time with Wambua at the location where her body was later discovered.”
The investigation took a concerted effort by the DCI detectives, Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau (CRIB) officers, Cybercrime detectives and the Special Service Unit (SSU) officers.
A probe into Njenga’s criminal records showed that he committed similar offenses in the past.
Detectives said it is surprising that the suspect, who was handed a death sentence in 2003, was free.
“For instance, in 1996, he was charged with stealing and was further charged three times with the offenses of robbery with violence and rape. On January 15th, 2003, he was convicted and sentenced to death at Kibera Senior Resident’s Magistrate Court. How he won his freedom remains a mystery, which the detectives are currently engaged in demystifying.”